The present invention relates to detergent compositions particularly adapted for direct application to fabrics as spot and grease removers, as well as for being used in the manner of commercial detergents in the main wash. More particularly, the detergent compositions herein comprise inversed emulsions which are in the form of gelatinous liquids or somewhat thicker, yet flowable, gels, and are especially useful for removing both greasy stains and particulate soils from fabrics.
Heavy-duty liquid detergent compositions are well known in the art. Usually, such compositions contain a synthetic organic detergent component which is generally anionic, nonionic or mixed anionic-nonionic in nature, an inorganic builder salt, and a solvent, which usually comprises water and/or alcohol. Such compositions frequently contain a hydrotrope or solubilizing agent to permit the addition of sufficient quantities of detergent and builder salt to provide a reasonable volume/usage performance ratio. While such liquid detergent compositions are effective for some types of home laundering, they are not optimally useful both as pre-treatment and through-the-wash fabric cleaning compositions.
Typical examples of concentrated liquid detergents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,086,867, Hall 7/1937; U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,634, Price 5/1951; U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,599, Henkin 11/1956; U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,702, Coskie 8/1960; U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,468, Herrick 3/1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,916, Kerfoot 1/1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,323, Taylor 7/1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,445, Augustin 5/1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,451, Mausner, et al. 10/1972; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,838, Mausner, et al. 1/1972.
Relevant foreign patents include: Canadian Pat. No. 615,853, 2/1961; and British Pat. No. 900,000, 6/1962; British Pat. No. 842,813, 7/1960; and British Pat. No. 759,877, 10/1956.
Other relevant references include Kastra, Defensive Publication of Ser. No. 182,863, filed 9/22/71 No. T903,009; Kastra, Defensive Publication of Ser. No. 182,883, filed 9/22/71 No. T903,010, and "Emulsions and Detergents", a booklet published by Union Carbide, 1961, especially pp. 7-9.
Some highly preferred, heavy-duty liquid detergent compositions are disclosed by Collins in U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,399, issued Mar. 4, 1975, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,563, issued Apr. 8, 1975. The compositions disclosed in these patents are taught to be in gel form, provided no alcohol or electrolyte is present therein. The reference cited at column 1 of each of these latter patents also disclose a variety of heavy-duty (not necessarily liquid) detergent compositions.
Compositions comprising electrolyte, water, and surfactant which seems to have been "salted-out" of solution by means of the electrolyte are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,505, Tuvell, issued Feb. 15, 1966. The disclosed compositions appear to comprise a continuous aqueous phase and a disperse surfactant phase, i.e., the converse of the compositions disclosed herein, and apparently contain substantially less nonionic surfactant than do the cmpositions herein. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,508, Huggins, et al., issued July 6, 1971; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,124, Ginn, issued Oct. 23, 1962.
Pumpable liquid compositions consisting of concentrated ethoxylated nonionic surfactants and water are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,500, Rytter, et al., issued Dec. 31, 1968.
Non-gelling, concentrated liquid detergents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,041, Inamorato, issued May 21, 1974.
Pasty spot-treating detergent concentrates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,119, Felletschin, et al., issued Nov. 9, 1971.
Ethoxylated detergent compositions thickened with a polyvinyl acetate maleate thickener are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,645,415, Pollok, issued July 14, 1963.
Liquid detergent concentrates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,581, Cheng, issued Dec. 4, 1973.
Detergents comprising anionic and nonionic surfactants are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,261, Noad, issued July 7, 1964.
German Offen. No. 2,403,229, Anmeldetag, Jan. 14, 1974, Smithies, discloses detergent concentrates with indicator systems.
In spite of the substantial body of work in the area of heavy-duty liquid detergents, the particular advantages and superior performance of compositions of the type disclosed herein do not appear to have been appreciated heretofore.